The need for the availability of a diagnostic device for the aforementioned pathologies, which can be manufactured with limited expense, usable even in non hospital or clinical structures and which gives rise to the least possible discomfort in patients, avoiding for example the administration of sedatives, is particularly felt within the field. Furthermore, the need for the availability of a diagnostic device which allows the verification of the presence and the extent of a mucosal prolapse is particularly felt.
Diagnostic devices, such as flexible colonoscopes and sigmoidoscopes which have significant drawbacks are known. Generally, colonoscopes work by the insufflation of air in order to dilate the walls of the intestinal tract subjected to analyses. The insufflation of air gives rise to significant discomfort in the patients and frequently it is necessary to resort to the administration of sedatives. Furthermore, the insufflation of air causes dilation of the rectum with the consequence that any possible mucosal prolapse disappears and may not be viewed.
Anoscopes which allow the direct vision of the area involved and which can also be of large dimensions, for example with diameters greater than 2 cm, are also known, causing pain during insertion and requiring the relaxation of the sphincter.
Due to the complexity and the expense of the equipment required, in addition to the high discomfort which they cause in patients, frequently the only structures which are so equipped are hospitals or clinics, requiring therefore that the majority of the diagnostic procedures be carried out in such environments.
The problem at the heart of the present invention is that of providing a diagnostic device for the pathologies of the intestinal tracts, in particular of the rectum and colon, which has structural and operational characteristics such as to satisfy the aforementioned needs and to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks cited in reference to the known art.
Such a problem is solved by a diagnostic device in accordance with claim 1. The dependent claims refer to further embodiments of the device according to the present invention.
Further characteristics and advantages of the diagnostic device according to the invention will arise from the following reported description of its preferred exemplary embodiments, which are given as non-limiting indication, with reference to the attached figures, wherein: